Cruel Fate
by desert-dancer
Summary: “Now, I do hope that’s not all you are going to buy,” she said in Mrs Weasley’s firm, strict tone. All three jumped and cried in unison, “Of course not Mum, we were just... HERMIONE! Come to chaperon us?” “Just think of it as life insurance.”
1. chapter one

**disclaimer: no i don't own harry potter but you already know that so why bother even having a disclaimer?**

**XxXxX**

_She was running. Running as fast as her legs could take her. She was throwing spells and curses left and right at cloaked figures racing toward her, their own wands drawn. She tripped and landed in a pile of blood and flesh._

_Cold flesh. __Covered in blood._

_Death._

_She quickly picked herself up and looked at the field before her. __Bodies everywhere, both friends and foe. Bodies scattered, being trampled upon as others fought for their own lives._

_Through the hindering crowds, she saw Him. Standing over the entire battle. __Determined, she ran towards him. The rest of the battle dropped away. All that was left was Him and the thin, straight path leading her._

_As she ran, the path lengthened. __As she ran, images of her friends, her family, her loved ones flashed before her eyes._

_All dead._

_All covered in blood._

_All staring at her with wide, empty eyes. __Accusingly. __Blaming her for their fates._

_He laughed as she stumbled. Laughed as she cursed at him. Laughed and simply stepped aside as her spells came toward him and missed._

_She continued running, but the path kept getting longer and longer. A flash of green exploded from His wand and came speeding towards her._

_She froze, knowing exactly what it was, and screamed._

"Hermione!" She felt her shoulders being jerked around roughly. "Wake up, Hermione. Wake up!"

Hermione gasped and her eyes shot open.

**XxXxX**

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	2. chapter two

**disclaimer: see chapter one**

**XxXxX**

"Hermione!"

She felt her shoulders being jerked around roughly.

"Wake up, Hermione. Wake up!"

Hermione sat up quickly, knocking Harry onto the floor. She didn't notice. The field of bodies played over and over in her mind, His laughter echoed in her ears.

"Ow! Hermione, I think you broke my nose!" Harry was still on the floor where he had fallen, his hand over his nose.

His cry of pain brought her back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place from her dream.

A dream.

Only a dream.

"Harry! Oh, I'm so sorry!" She grabbed her wand and knelt by her friend, "Move your hands, I'll heal it for you."

Harry's hand fell from his face, covered in blood. She froze, unable to move as her dream flashed before her eyes, the images of her friends playing on an endless reel.

"Hermione?"

She snapped back to reality and flicked her wand. Instantly, his crooked nose straightened and the blood stopped. With another flick, the red flow was gone.

"Thanks." He gently poked his nose, testing it out.

"No need to insult me." Hermione gently slapped Harry's arm as she pretended to be offended.

He grinned as he picked himself up and summoned a chair. Hermione sat on the edge of the bed, knowing full well what Harry was about to ask.

"Hermione…"

"Forget it. It was only a dream. Just a bad dream."

"Are you okay?" He worried about her. Ever since the war started four years ago during their last year at Hogwarts, she would have terrible dreams, yet never talk of them.

"I'm fine." She brushed aside the topic as if it were nothing and asked, "Are you the only one here?"

Harry nodded, "Mr and Mrs Weasley are packing up essentials from the Burrow. Bill and Ginny went with them. It isn't safe there anymore so they're moving here. If Sirius were here, he'd be throwing fits like a two year old; Mrs Weasley's planning another cleaning spree. Be warned.

"Fred, George and Ron went to Diagon Ally to get some supplies, and the rest are at Hogwarts. There weren't that many injured, but they're still short on help."

Hermione smiled grimly. It was only a matter of time before Lord Voldemort's forces attacked the Burrow. Most were surprised he held off for so long, seeing as the Weasleys were considered blood traitors.

She stood up and stretched. "Well, I'd better head over to Diagon Ally. I doubt the twins, much less Ron, would know what to buy besides pranks and sweets. We'll all starve if we leave it to them." Taking her wand, she gave Harry a quick hug and, before he could say a word, Disapparated.

**XxXxX**

Hermione appeared behind the boys as they were paying for a huge bag of candies.

"Now, I do hope that's not all you are going to buy," she said in Mrs Weasley's firm, strict tone.

All three jumped and cried in unison. "Of course not Mum, we were just—HERMIONE!"

"Aw, c'mon, don't mess with us like that!" Ron whined.

"Come to chaperon us?" George added.

"What are you doing here? You took one hell of a beating at yesterday's battle and your body needs to rest from all that healing," Fred asked, concerned. "You do know what 'rest' is, right?"

"Don't you start mothering me. I'm here to make sure you buy some good food. Just think of it as life insurance."

"How's your leg?" Ron questioned.

"It's fine."

"You broke it in three places!" George exclaimed.

"It's FINE."

"YOU'RE fine, your LEG isn't."

Fred and his infinite wisdom, Hermione complained to herself.

"I'm here to baby sit you whether you like it or not so deal with it." Hermione was grateful for their concern, but she didn't want them to treat her like a porcelain doll.

She had to admit her leg was paining her, but it was nothing a Pain-killing Potion couldn't take care of.

"You start limping and I'm taking you back, whether YOU like it or not," Fred retorted and added, "Mum'll skin us for sure if we let you hurt your leg again."

Diagon Ally seemed deserted as they made their way to each shop. Ron and George had gone back to Number 12 Grimmald Place with the groceries and left Hermione to look for some potion ingredients they desperately needed. Fred decided to stay with her, knowing that she wouldn't go easy on her leg.

A biting gust of wind engulfed the pair, forcing them to turn into the nearest side ally to find refuge. The darkness flooded Diagon Ally in a wave. Hermione and Fred could sense the eyes watching. Plotting.

The pain in her leg intensified when she shifted her weight as they hid from the wind. The air was thick, like right before a storm. The air pressure suddenly changed and the ally filled with cloaked figures.

Somewhere, a woman shrieked.

"Oh shit," Fred muttered.

**XxXxX**

"So, who missed us?" George announced his and Ron's arrival.

"It was really nice until you came back," Harry grinned, leaning against the kitchen door.

"Well then, I'll just take this food and--!"

"HARRY! HERMIONE!" Remus Apparated into the middle of the kitchen. "Good, you're here too," he added when her saw Ron and George.

The werewolf sat down then stood and paced, unable to calm down.

"Remus, what's wrong?"

"Where's Hermione? And Fred?" He ignored Ron's question as he searched the room, "Where are they?"

"Calm down man, what's happening?" George grabbed his former professor's shoulder.

"Another attack," Lupin managed to say.

"Where?" Harry's face hardened. All joking in his voice earlier was gone.

"Diagon Ally."

**XxXxX**

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	3. chapter three

**disclaimer: see chapter two**

**XxXxX**

All hell broke loose.

The mass of Death Eaters began throwing curses randomly around the street. People, unseen before, were now running blindly, trying to find shelter. Those who remembered they had wands quickly pulled them out to create a meek defense against the Death Eaters strength. Nearby, a child was screaming for his mother.

Hermione jumped to life, trying to ignore the pain in her leg.

"Fred, cover me!" She yelled over her shoulder as she ran towards the little boy. Hermione scooped him up in her arms and gave him to a woman hiding inside a shop. She trusted the woman to take care of the boy until his mother could be found.

Turning away, she hurried to join Fred. Together they brought down Death Eater after Death Eater, but more just kept coming.

Suddenly, the air filled with pops of people Apparating.

A fresh group of Death Eaters had joined the fray. The mass of black cloaks kept increasing exponentially.

Hermione's leg was on fire. The pain was almost too much to bear. Her strength left her quickly; her stamina hadn't recovered from the battle and healing the day before.

"Those bastards knew you were hurt so they chose today of all days to attack." Fred, too, was tiring. His brow glistened with sweat.

More pops could be heard.

"They just keep coming!" Hermione cried hopelessly, collapsing. Her leg would no longer tolerate the immense pain.

"Hermione, no, it's the Order!" Fred found more strength to continue fighting.

She didn't duck in time as a poorly aimed spell grazed her shoulder. Pain seared through her body and she let out a pained cry. Gripping her shoulder, Hermione crawled back into the ally. Fred tried to stay with her, but the mass of Death Eaters cut him off. He fought viciously to get to his fallen friend, but he had been fighting long and hard. His body had been pushed to its limits and refused to be pushed anymore.

Remus Lupin appeared beside Fred, relieving him slightly.

When Hermione saw this, she knew Fred would be all right and moved all her attention to defending herself.

Harry came sprinting towards her, screaming something with his wand pointed at her. A jet of bright blue light streamed past her and she heard an anguished cry come from behind. Harry was lost in a sea of black cloaks as Hermione spun around and saw the Death Eater picking himself up. His hood had fallen revealing the face of her attacker.

In the dim light, the Death Eater recognized the figure collapsed on the ground before him. He froze.

Fred's body flew through the air and landed heavily on the pavement near Hermione.

"Fred!" Forgetting the man before her, she turned away. Trying to stand, her leg gave out causing her to land painfully on her knee. Hermione crawled toward the fallen twin and looked for his pulse. She sighed. It was there. Weak, but there.

More people Apparated onto the scene. The Aurors had finally arrived! They immediately took control; Death Eaters fell one after another. Soon the cloaked figures were retreating, Disapparating back to their Master.

Remembering He was behind her, Hermione turned but couldn't find the strength or will to lift her wand.

He stood, wand at the ready. His knuckles were white from gripping his wand too tightly.

Both were aware of the Auror's arrival, but neither broke their piercing gaze.

His glance shot towards the fight, where his fellows were retreating.

"Go." His voice was raspy. He stared at the ground in front of the battered girl, unwilling to meet her eyes.

"Draco…" Hermione finally found her voice, though it cracked as she formed the name she swore she would never say again all those years ago.

"Go. You're the one he wants."

She picked up her wand. The last thing she saw before Disapparating was His eyes, filled with sadness and regret.

**XxXxX**

Mrs Weasley and Ginny were waiting, prepared for the worst. When Hermione burst in, they both jumped up and she felt Fred's weight being lifted from her.

She put her hand on her leg and felt a familiar sticky feeling.

Blood.

Her leg had a deep cut from calf to ankle, but there was too much to be just her's. Looking up, she saw a huge, jagged gash across Fred's chest.

Ginny reached out to help Hermione, but was waved away impatiently, "I'm fine." Ginny looked Hermione up and down and glared. Everything about her contradicted the statement. "Help Fred. He needs you more."

Ginny nodded and reluctantly left her friend and hurried to her brother.

Hermione sat and rested against the wall, her leg sprawled at an odd angle, but it wasn't so painful that way.

By then, the members of the Order had finished up at Diagon Ally and were now returning.

Those with minor cuts set to helping those with more serious injuries. Ron was among those more seriously hurt. George hurried to Fred, face white. Harry found Hermione in her corner.

"What were you thinking going and fighting? You should have gotten out of there before they cast their first spell!" Harry fumed in an angry whisper.

"I had to stay. It was only me and Fred. No one was there to protect all those people." Hermione stared at Harry, determined to have him see it her way. To have him understand, all the lives that would have been lost if she had left. And the little boy, crying for his mum in a street soon to be filled with horrors.

Harry could only shake his head, but didn't argue anymore. He bent down to examine her leg.

"Damn, Hermione. You've broken it again. And what in Merlin's name happened to your shoulder?"

Hermione turned her head to look, but the room began to spin and she couldn't focus. The pain in her leg flared as she slumped back into a dead faint.

**XxXxX**

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	4. chapter four

**disclaimer: see chapter three**

**XxXxX**

"Damn that girl. She'll get herself killed if she keeps doing this." Ron sat with his head in his hands.

"Is that really so bad?" Fred was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. Shadows covered his face, making it impossible for Ron or Harry to discipher his thoughts.

Ron flared at his brother's words. "What are you saying? Do you actually want Hermione to die?"

"No. I just mean that she'll have died for a reason: protecting those who need it. That's why she stayed in Diagon Ally. There was this little boy, just standing there in the middle of the street. He was crying for his parents; he looked so helpless."

It was silent for a moment.

Fred broke the silence, "When did it change from giving our lives to protect to saving our own skins?"

"So you could be alive to protect other later on." Harry spoke upfor the first time.

"Yeah? And live the rest of my life knowing that I could've done something but ran away so that I could do the same thing the next time the situation happened again? No more of this 'It's all for the greater good' crap."

The sound of footsteps was followed by a door slamming.

"He's right you know," Harry said quietly.

"Yeah, I know."

Hermione didn't move. The conversation she had just overheard played back in her mind. Fred had been right. She had been prepared to forfeit her life to save the little boy and the others in the Ally. She tried to turn onto her side to face Harry and Ron who were still sitting by her bed. The pain that shot through her body caused her to cry out, attracting the attention of the two.

"You're awake! Hermione, don't move." Opening her eyes, Ron's face appeared floating above her.

"No shit…" she managed to choke out through gritted teeth. The simple task of speaking was difficult and nearly impossible.

"Hey, what happened to Miss No-Swearing-Allowed?" Harry grinned despite the bandage covering most of the left side of his face.

"She re-broke her leg, has one hell of a headache and sore throat, a cracked knee cap and a shoulder missing a chunk from it because of some idiot who couldn't aim right missed my heart." Hermione struggled to sit up, failing horribly.

"I'll get Mum." Ron scurried out. He didn't want to be anywhere near the room when Hermione received the news.

"How's Fred?" She looked towards Harry, who cast his gaze down. "I thought I heard him talking a minute ago."

"He's… well, I don't know really. Something happened that day and he just clammed up; won't even speak to George about it. I think what you heard was the most anyone's gotten from him."

"How long have I been asleep?"

Harry stared more determinedly at the floor. There was a hole in his sock. He'd have to get new ones soon.

"Harry…" He flinched at the familiar warning tone in her voice.

"Nine days."

"What!" She jumped up slightly at the reply, but fell back onto the bed, stifling whimpers of pain.

"You're body needed the rest. The healer who worked on you had to take a couple breaks because it was exhausting her. You were… were half-way dead."

"Can you help me sit up?"

"He will do no such thing!" Mrs Weasley bustled into the room with a tray loaded with food and potion bottles.

Harry mouthed a quick "Sorry" before ducking out of the room.

**XxXxX**

It was another week before Mrs Weasley allowed her patient to move around the house. Hermione was told not to over-exert herself and if she even thought about leaving, especially to go fight, she would be stuck in her bed for the next year.

All in all, she didn't mind. Hermione wanted to test her limits so she knew what she had to work on before rejoining the forces. She was stretching in the living room when she heard angry voices floating in from the kitchen.

"Fred, just talk to me!"

Silence followed. Hermione assumed Fred was ignoring his twin.

"Please," George begged, "you haven't spoken to anyone in weeks; we're all worried sick!"

"I'm fine." Fred stood up and left to find a secluded part of the house.

George sighed heavily and sunk his head into the cradle of his arms.

Hermione knew he probably wouldn't talk to her, but she had to try. She had to, at the very least, try to find out what was bothering him.

She found him sitting on the floor, in the corner of a little used room. Trinkets coated in dust lay scattered on the shelves. Dust blanketed the once grand tattered furniture. When she came upon him, he was absently playing with a Muggle toy top, spinning it over and over.

Hermione called out tentatively, "Fred?"

"I'm confused."

He stopped and spun the top again. Hermione remained silent, mentally urging him to continue.

"I was conscious you know, in the ally. You hurried over to me and nearly cut the blood flow to my hand finding a pulse."

He stopped again. Instead of speaking again, he looked up at Hermione and stared into her eyes.

She understood. He had heard. He had heard her call out to the man they were sworn to kill. The man who had direct orders to kill anyone and everyone blocking the path to capturing her. The man who had spared their lives and allowed them to escape.

"Draco," Hermione whispered.

Fred nodded, "Draco."

She joined him on the floor and leaned against the wall. "I suppose you want an explanation, right?"

"You wouldn't have sat down if you didn't plan on telling me something."

A hollow laugh escaped her lips. "Yes. You always were good at reading people. That's probably why you've been quiet, right? Couldn't figure out Draco?"

Fred remained silent.

"He was my friend. Don't know how it happened, but he was. Sometimes he was even closer to me than Harry or Ron." She glanced at Fred and saw him giving her an odd look. "Not like that! Get your dirty mind out of the gutter!"

Hermione was rewarded with a small smile.

"I could talk to him about anything and he'd listen. With Ron and Harry, when you bring up a subject they're uncomfortable with all that would be left of them were the dust trails marking their escape." She paused and stretched out her injured leg. "Don't get me wrong, he didn't suddenly change into Barney or anything, still had plenty of attitude and smart-ass remarks to throw at me. I don't think he even realized it, but I never heard him say Mudblood once."

Fred didn't say a word, but he also didn't sigh in disgust and leave.

Hermione looked out the window on the opposite wall. "Not once."

**XxXxX**


End file.
